Tractor mountable crop receptacle for cotton-picking apparatus



Dec. 14, 1954 c. R. HAGEN ET A1. 2,697,005

TRACTOR MOUNTABLE CROP RECEPTACLE FOR COTTON-PICKING APPARATUS OriginalFiled June 29, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet l Dec; 14; 1954 C. R. HAGEN ET ALTRACTOR MOUNTABLE CROP RECEPTACSE/ FOR COTTON-PICKING APPARATUS OriginalFiled June 29, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 :Izz

C. R. HAGEN ET AL TRACTOR MOUNTABLE CROP RECEPTACLE FOR COTTON-PICKINGAPPARATUS Dec. 14, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheerl 5 Original Filed June 29,

Dec. 14, 1954 c. R. HAGEN ET AL TRACTOR MOUNTABLE CROP RECEPTACLE FORCOTTON-PICKING APPARATUS Original Filed June 29, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 45062x1071? ga refzce gera d@ ozzz's Q/f Dec. 14, 1954 c. R. HAGEN ET AL2,697,005

TRACTOR MOUNTABLE CROP RECEPTACLE FOR COTTON-PICKING APPARATUS OriginalFiled June 29, 1944 5 Shets-Sheet 5 2,697,005 Patented Dec. 14, 1954TRACTOR MOUNTABLEv CROP RECEPTACLE FOR COTTON-PICKING APPARATUS ClarenceR. 'Hagen and Louis E. Nickla, Memphis, Tenn.,

assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of NewJersey Original application .lune 29, 1944, Serial N0. 542,770,

now Patent No. 2,518,465. Divided' and this application August 12, 1950,Serial No. 179,058

3 claims. (omas-1s) This invention relates to cotton-pickingy apparatusand has 'to do more particularly with a novel arrangement of suchapparatus providing for installationl of its component parts in certainadvantageous: positions upon a tractor.

The invention, disclosed in our copending application Serial No.542,770, iiled lune 29, 1944, which has matured into Patent No.2,518,465 dated August 15', 1950, of which this application is adivision, is primarily useful in the assembly of a picker unit of thespindle type and' of a receptacle for the picked cotton upon arelatively small tractor. Picker units employing banks of rotatingspindles embody a concentration of considerable mass making it highlydesirable for the apparatus to distribute its weight upon those parts ofthe tractor Ymost capable. of withstanding the Weight. One 'object ofthe invention `is to provide an apparatus which satisfactorily meets theweight distribution problem by placing the picker unit forwardly of' oneof the rear axle housings adjacent the tractor engine and by placing thereceptacle for picked cottonl upon .the tractor rearwardly of the otherrear axle housing. This causes most ofthe weight to be imposed upon therugged traction wheels, meanwhile minimizing additional 'weight on theground-engaging steering wheels so steering ease isl preserved.

The problem of weight distribution is complicated by the desirability ofdisposing the necessarily bulky cotton receptacle where it will avoidinterference 'with vision of the operator. Another object of theinvention concerns a solution of this problem 'by providing a suitablemounting for the receptacle principally rearwardly of the operatorsstation and to one side thereof in such a fashion that the. operator canreadily see to .steer the vehicle in a forward ldirection by using thestandard tractor controls and still obtain good weight distribution ofthe apparatus.

The above and other desirable objects inherent in and encompassed by theinvention will be better understood upon reading the ensuing descriptionwith reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tractor with the preferred.embodiment of the invention installed thereon, the nearest tractionwheel of the tractor being omitted and a topportion of a cottonreceptacle of the cotton picking apparatus being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tractor and apparatus shown in Fig. l, thetractor steering wheel being omitted and a. portion of thev tractor fueltank being broken away;

Fig. 2al is a vertical sectional -view taken through the plant passageof the picking unit as indicated by the line 2&-23 in Fig. 2. v

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cotton conveying blower employed .in theapparatus and installed below the cotton receptacle as illustrated inFigs. 1, 4, and 5.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational viewof the tractor (with parts omitted forclarity)v and. apparatus, with the receptacle in the filling position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view corresponding to Fig. 4but illustrating the receptacle in the dumping position;

.Fig 6;..is a horizontal vsectional View taken through the blower atVthe planeindicated Avby the lline 6f-6y in Fig.. 7.;

'.Fg, A blower 'on .the. .`line.;indicated theline .7--7 ini-Pig. o;

7 a., vertical .sectional view, .taken "thronglrthe .p Fig. 8` is afragmentary view illustrating a peripheral edge of the blower rotor anda radially slotted guard therefor, taken on the lines-8 of Fig. 7;v

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the rear end of the tractor,showing the. differential housing and adjacentparts of the rear axlehousings together with a casing which encloses selectable driving chainsfor transmitting driving force to theA cotton-picking, un-it;l and Fig.10 is a View taken on the line 10 of Fig. 9 illustrating a clutch.utilizable for selecting which of the chains illustrated in Fig. 9shall be employed for transmitting the driving force to the pickingunit.

, eral arrangement: of .thefvar'ious components of the. ap-

paratus, .all of those components are herein shown and described toillustrato their assembly with an ordinary farm tractor. Thetractor andthe crop harvesting apparatus thereon ,constitute a. self-propelled cropharvesting machine.

The tractor The: tractor upon which the apparatus is herein assembledisa narrow body tricycle type farm tractor comprising a body 10projecting forwardly from oppositely extend-ing. rear axle housings 11and v12. At the front portion yofw the body 1'0 is the conventionallyplaced interna-l combustion engine 13 superposed by a fuel tank 14 and ahood 1'5. A shaft 16 at the front of the tractor is an extension. oftheengine crank shaft. Support for the front end' of the tractor isprovidedby the usual steeringtruck. 17 comprising. a ground-engaging steeringwheel 18. Support for the rear end of the tractor is provided by reartraction wheels-19 and 21 at the outer ends of the axle housings 1'1 and12. Depending gear containing portions 22 and 23 at the outer ends ofthe axle housings 11 andV lf2 containy gears (not shown) which transmitdriving force from axles within the housings 11 and 12 to the wheels 419and 21, the housing portions 22 and 23 being upright so. as to supportthe axle housings at an elevation towgive ample clearance. for the eldplants. t

An operatoris station includes .an operators seat 24 suitably `supportedadjacent and over the axle housing y 12-that is, to one side of thetractor body 10. The tracf.- of lvet-t1cally spaced doiiugqdlsks shownim `dotted outline,

t ignated v26 tor steering wheel "25 is directly in front of the seat24.

l Cotton-picking unit and support therefor A cotton-picking or cropgathering unit generally desis of therevolvable spindle type. This unit,which 1s placed at the right of the tractor as viewed from the rear,includes a casing 27 separated from a pressure plate assembly 28 by afore and aft extending plant receiving passage 29. This passage or cropreceiving sectionfaces Aforwardly of the tractor. Two groups, A and B,or assemblies of cotton-picking spindles are enclosed in the casingv 27in a tandem arrangement with thev assembly A disposed forwardly oftheassembly B. Cotton-picking assemblies Av and 'B -may ybe of thecharacter fully'described in. UnitedStates Patent 2,140,631, so i'twil-l suicey ,for ythe present disclosure merely to expla'intha't thepicker spindles SP of the'assemblies A and. B are revolved generallyabout vertical axes A and B4 (appearing as points inl Eig. v2) tocausetheir tips tol follow the .path indicated by the dot-dash lines aand b; `It will be seen, therefore, that the picker spindles, while theyare being revolved about lthe axes A and B', are successively projectedinto the plant receiving passage 29y and thereafter withdrawn from thispassage.

. While in thepassage .and while rotating about their inverticallyspacedrows of the spindles -SP :so lthat the cotton plants disposedwithin .the passage will be operated.

upon throughout the. height. of the passage.

. yll'ie spindles JSP vrevolve in the .direction indicated by tbefarrowsAW,-andl. upon atrivingin-registry.'with a .group at D, the cotton isremoved from the spindles by these disks and discharged into the casing427. Subsequently, the spindles come in registry with vertically spacedmoistening pads M where they are moistened prior to again beingprojected into the plant receiving passage. The casing 27, in additionto housing the picking spindle sets, the dotfer disks and the moisteningpads, also serves as an air receiving or suction chamber of a pneumaticsystern for the conduction of the picked cotton away from the pickeriinger assemblies into a crop-receiving cotton receptacle 31. Air isdrawn into the casing 27 through the openings at the plant passage wherethe picking fingers extend outwardly into said passage, and this airladen with the cotton doffed from the spindles, leads upwardly throughconduit legs 32 and 33 for ultimate delivery into the receptacle 31.Doors 34 and 35 upon the outerside of the casing 27 pivot at theirforward ends on supports (not shown) about axes which are coaxial withthe lower ends of the conduit legs 32 and 33, and these doors have shortconduit necks 36 and 37 pivotable within the conduit legs to facilitateopening and closing of the doors.l

Access is thereby easily had to the picker spindles, the dofiingapparatus and the spindle moistening apparatus from the outer side ofthe picking unit 26.

That side of the plant receiving passage 29 opposite to the casing 27 isformed by plant pressing plates 38, 39 and 40 which are yieldably heldinto the positions illustrated so that they may be displaced toward thetractor engine when pressed upon by a profuse plant growth occupying thepassage 29. The pressure plate assembly 28 is supported from the chamber27 by a horizontal rod 41 at the upper forward end of the passage 29 andby a passage covering plate 42 at the rear end of the passage inregistry with the rear picker spindle assembly B.

In Figs. 2 and 2a, the front portion of the plant receiving passage 29can be seen to be covered by a detachable covering plate 43 having ahorizontal portion 44 secured at its rear end to the plate 42 by a capscrew 45, an upwardly inclined plant deecting portion 46, and a rolledportion 47 at its forward end disposed about the rod 41 to which it issecured by a cap screw 48.

It is a characteristic of the cotton plant for the bolls adjacent to theground to ripen first and for the bolls at the top of the plant to ripenor mature last. Since the bolls mature successively throughout a pickingseason of considerable duration, it is the practice with cotton-'picking machinery, as it has always been in hand picking, to pick thefield several times during the picking season. When picking the crop forthe first time, the bolls at the top of the plant will usually besutiiciently immature that it is unnecessary to cause the tops of theplants tobe operated upon by both the front and back picker fingerassemblies, and with this in view, the deflector plate 43 in verticalregistry with the front assembly A, has been made easily detachable sothat during this initialpicking the tops of the plant may be allowed toproject above the spindles of the front picking assembly. This avoidsall likelihood of any iniury to the unripened bolls by the front pickinglingers. Such cotton that is ready for picking can be readily gatheredby the rear linger assembly B.

A further advantage is gained by operating the machine with the passagecover plate 43 removed. This further advantage is gained partly by thefore and aft alinement of the operators station 24 with the plantpassage 29 so that an operator at the station 24 can see through theuncovered portion of the passage adapted to be closed by' the plate 43and thereby observe the stalks of the plants in the forward end of thepassage as well as those about to enter the passage. `This improvedvision for the operator makes it much easier for him to properly steerthe apparatus with respect to the plant row. The throat to the passage29 is quite narrow, making accurate steering essential.

Later in the season when the plants have an abundance of 'mature bollsat their tops, the plate 43 can be reassembled with the picking unit sothat the upper parts of. the plants will be detiected thereby downwardlyfor operation upon the front group of picking fingers as well as therear group thereof.

A plant lifting device 51 is attached to the 'forward end of the unit 26for raising the lowermost stems of the' plants off of the ground to asufficient height for passing through the lower ones of the pickingspindles SP. The device 51 comprises backwardly inclined rods 52 havingground-engaging runners 53 attached to 'their front ends).-

Support for the crop gathering or picking unit 26 is provided by cropgathering supporting means carried on the tractor over a space forwardlyof one axle housing and at one side of the tractor body. This supportingmeans includes a frame 55 comprising a generally L- shaped frame member56 having a fore and aft extending leg 57 and a laterally turned leg 58having a juncture 59; see Fig. 2. A strut member 61 connects with theframe member 5S adjacent the juncture 59 where the member 61 extendsthrough an aperture (not shown) in the leg 57 of the frame member 56. Awelded connection 62 is provided between the members 61 and 56. The rearpart of the leg 57 is supported upon the tractor axle housing 12 by aplate 63 (Figs. l and 2) to which the member 57 is secured by anystandard means 63 in Fig. l. The bifurcated lower edge of the plate 63straddles the outer end of the axle housing 12 and is secured to thedepending gear housing 23 as shown'in Figures l and 4. A footing plate64 is welded or otherwise secured to the free ends of the members 58 and61, and this plate 64 is adapted tobe secured to the tractor body 10 bymeans of cap screws 65 which are screwed into bosses or pads 66 and 67provided upon said body 10.

Means for suspending the picking unit from the frame 55 includes theouter end of the strut 61 which passes through the frame leg 57 andextends into and provides a bearing spindle for the hub 68 of abell-crank 69, which has a pair of laterally spaced horizontal arms 71and 72 and an upright arm 73. The forward ends of the arms 71 and 72mutually support the upper end of a linkage 74 which is rigidly attachedto the picking unit by capscrews 74. By pivoting the bell-crank 69, theouter ends of the arms 71 and 72 can be raised or lowered for changingthe elevation of the picking unit which is suspended therefrom throughthe link 74. Pivoting of the bell-crank 69 is effected manually througha lever 75 having its lower end attached to the hub of the bell-crankand operable over a quadrant70, Fig. 2, for retaining a selected heightof the picking unit. The upwardly projecting arm of the bell-crank isoperated upon by the counter-balancing spring assembly 76, which isadjustably connected to a bracket 77 on the back end of the frame leg 57by a threaded rod 78 and a nut 79. Since the counter-balancing spring 76is connected to the frame 55 through the bracket 77 and the bell-crank69, which may be retained in a selected pivoted relation by theengagement of the lever 75I with the quadrant 70 irrespective of whetherthe picking unit 26 is supported upon the forwardly projecting arms ofthe bell-crank, said counter-balancing spring can be assembled anddisassembled from the tractor with the frame while the forwardlyprojecting arms of the bellcrank remain in a lowered or horizontalposition which facilitates attachment and detachment of the pickingunit.

Picker unit driving means Driving force for the cotton-picking unit 26is obtained from a power take-off shaft 80, Figs. 9 and l0, which isrotated by any standard means (not shown) from the vehicle engine. Theback end of the shaft 80 projects into a casing 81 attached to the backend of a differential housing 82 disposed between the axle housings 11and 12; see Fig. 9. Two chain sprockets 83 and 84 are jonrnaled uponthat portion of the power take-off shaft in the casing S1, and thesechain sprockets have jaw clutch counterparts S5 and 86 rotatively lixedthereto. A clutch spool 87 disposed between the clutch counterparts 85and 86 is splined to the shaft 80. The rear end portion of the spool 87constitutes a clutch counterpart meshable with the'counterpart 85,whereas the front end portion of the spool constitutes a clutchcounterpart meshable with the counterpart 86. The details of thisconstruction are shown in Fig. l0. Shifting of the spool is effected bya shifter fork of conventional construction having bifurcation portionsprojecting into the circumferential groove of the spool. When the spool87 is shifted rearwardly, the sprocket 83 will be clutched for rotationto the power take-off shaft 80, and when the spool 87 is shiftedforwardly, the sprocket 84 will be clutched to said shaft.

. The spool 87 is shown in a neutral position in which neither of thesprockets is connected with said shaft. The housingv 81 extendstransversely of the tractor outwardly along the backside'of the rearaxle housing 12, and theI outer part of the housing carries a bearing 88for a shaft 89.',v Thisishaft has sprockets 91'and 92 thereonl which arerespectively connected with the-sprockets 83' and84by chains 93 and 94.The drive :to thepickerunit iscornpleted through la universaly joint 95.at the i-forwa-ni end of the shaft 89, a forwrrdly projecting shaft/96,-a universal `joint 97 rat `the front of `this shaft, .and Athencethrough suitable gearing v(not shown) within a gearwcasing 98. supportedupon the picking unit 26. The gearing inthe casing 98 and the power`connection between this gearing and .the spindles within the casing 26are immaterial to--this invention.

yForeand aft pendulous movement of the picking unit 26 about its supporton the arms 71 and 72 isv prevented by-a brace rod 101 pivotallyconnected at MP2-to a rea-r portion of the picking unit and pivotallyconnected at its 'rear end to a threaded rod 103adjustable'withina`bracket104 connected yto the depending aXle housingportion'23. The

fore a-nd aft position of the rod- 103 iis. determina-ble "by v nuts Sandv 106 upon either side of that vpart of ithe. bracket 104-receivingthe stem 103. In addition to dending ystability to the picking unit,vthe brace rod 161 can also determine the elevation of .the Afront endyof the picking unit vby holding 'the unit in' a selected 1pivotedrelation about its support .at ythe -'iF-'ront ends y'of the bell'-crank arms 71 and 72. Sometimes it is desired 2toy so support thepicking unit that lits frontend `will vbe slightly higher in elevationthan its'rear end vso the Ltbot-tom'of the unit can engage and skid oversmall hummocks'fand the like upon the `earth surface.

.Pneumatic cotton-conveying system A blower 111 supported at the leftrear part of the tractor beneath the receptacle 31 constitutes anelement of crop conveying means for conveying the/'cotton from thepicking Vunit 26 into^said receptacle.' This blower, of which thedetails are shown in Figs. 6,17., and 8, has a horizontal inlet 112which sucks air and cotton from the.

116 which cooperates with the joint '11S' in articulating the conduitsystem so .that it facilita-tes vertical adjustment or lmovement of thepicking-unit.

The ian outlet 117, `Figs. 4 and 7, extends'vertically for connectionwith an upwardly extending spout vr118 through which the air and cottonare discharged finto the upper part of the receptacle 31.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 6, 7,-and'8, the casing for theblower can be seen to comprise a generally cylindrical wall 119circuniferentially about and vradially spaced from a ybladed rotor`121.A vestibule. 122 ofthe blower is disposed between that part of thecasing surrounded by the cylindrical lwall 1-19 and the -inlet"112. Acircular opening 123 in the rrear end wall 124 ofthe main part of thecasing within the cylindrical ywall 119 provides communication between'the vestibule andthe main part of the casing.

The rotor 121 is fixed vvfor rotation with a sha-ft 125 rotatable withina bearing 126 carried 'within the front' wall 127 of the casing. rl`hisrotor comprises sinl impellerj blades 128 secured to and extendingradially from the shaft 125. These blades are secured at their frontedges to an end plate 129 which assists' maintaining them in their equalangular radiating relation. A circular wire rod 131 (shown Vin* sectionin Fig. 6 and shown fragmentarilyA in Figs. 7 and 8) passes throughrearward portions oi' the blades near their outer ends, andythisrrriember `assists the plate 129 in maintaining the 'blades in ythedesired formation. The circular rod 131 also provides a support forradiatingv elements 132 of a fan guard assembly 133.. Said elements 132are folded into shape' from elongated strips of sheet metal, elongatedcenter sections of the strips forming spaced segments .1340i the conicalguard assembly', while opposite edge portions of .thestrips' from whichthese members 132 are formedare lcarriedtogether and are perforated forreceiving the rod `131; see. Fig. -8.r The entire rear of the circularrotor is coveredby the guard elements 13.2, but only aportionthereofareshown in Fig. 7' so. thev impeller bladesy123.Jarerillustrated'to better advantage. Fig. 8illustrates-h'ow'theguardelements are. .mounted on'.I.circular:rod.1311.@betweenttlieyin- 852 6 pe'lfler tblades..` Eachlofthe :blades-128' isfsupplied'v 'with a pair'foichannelmembers135withztheshorter legs of these channel .members turned in. oppositedirections, as'illustrated in Fig. 8, to complementally form a surfacecorre spending to :the .segmental surfaces 134 of the lelements 132. The.entire `assembly is .conical with the 4radiating slots 136 between..the radial .elements 132. The elements 1321aresheldzagainst an enlargedrearendaportion .of the shaft by a .cap 137, Fig. '6, and alcap screwlyturned intothe backend ofsaid shaft.

lin lthe-operation of .the blower, `the rotating rotor discharges `aircentriiugally against the cylindrical -wall 119, the rotation ofthe fanbeing counterc'lockwise as viewed from. the .rear in fFi'g. 7' so thatthis discharged air is. impelled tangentially upwardly from .the casingthrough the vertical outlet 117. The air `thus discharged from thespace' between `thefanblades 1281is replaced by air .forced by theatmosphere inwardly through the cotton-picker unit casing 27, ywhereythe spindles project into .the passage 2i); 'T he casing 27 thereforeserves `as an air chamber, and the cotton picked by the spindles andcarried in-'to this chamerl where it is `dofed by .the dolng .mechanismD is carried upwardly bythe air conduit legs 32l and 33. The air .thus'forced into the `casing and air cham-ber .27 ofthe 'picking unit, ladenwith the picked' cotton, after passing up into the .legs 3'2 and '3.3passes backward'l'y into the conduit 113 and thence through ythe.conduit 114 into the blower inlet. 'Inlet 112 Ais arranged transverselyof the axis ofthe rotor 1.21 'whereby the inertia ofthe cotton has a`tendency to cause this cotton to -impinge against -a deflector wall112a and thenceto move radially of the rotor and conical guard, through`the opening 123 inthe rear 'wall of the-main part of 'the-casin-g,..andthence onto kthe cylindricalwall 119 without engaging orbeingstruck bythe fan fblades and without striking the guard member or assembly other'than with a glancing impact. There can be no striking of Vthe seedcotton being picked by the fan biades 128, since the radial slots 13diny the guard as sembly zare: too .narrow ior` permitting cotton toenter these slots although the air entering the blower does pass throughthese slots -into the space between the ian blades from 'where it is`centrifugally ejected.

lt is important that .the seeds in the picked 'cotton shall ynotvbebroken or cracked by the fan blades. The

seeds which `are 'only partly broken by being cracked will lose some of.their oilv which discolors the cotton and thereby lowers its grade andselling price. Cracked seeds becauseof'this loss of oil are also lessvaluable to cotton-seed processing mills since their yield of, oil willbe less. By employing the guard assembly 133, as herein illustrated',land .by introducing the seed cotton into the vestibule. 122 of the fancasing transversely of the rotor axis 'and angularly to` encounteredsurfaces of said guard assembly,'the .cotton seeds are handledsuiliciently gently :to avoid breakage.

It has been found that by making the conical guard member or assembly133 with the radiating slots 136, the guard member will avoidaccumulating cotton fibers and lint. It can be `observed in Fig. 7 thatthe radiating yslots 136 increase in width from the center to the outerperimeter of the guard member which is a factor further increasing thediiculty with which ber or lint particles could lcling tothe'sides oftheradiating slots 136. There .must be no :accumulation of foreignparticles within the :slots of the guardmember for, if these slottedopen-- ings were closed, the-fan or blower would become ineffective orits ciiiciency very materially reduced.

The placing yof the fan or blower 111 immediatelyy below' the cottonreceptacle 31 decreases the distance which the cotton lmust be moved'.from the blower into the lreceptacle and thereby makes itv possible forthe cotton and air to be .discharged with greater 'speed through 'theremaining portion of the conduit system leading to the receptacle. Thishas a significance which will presently be described. Placing the fan orblower 111 below the receptacle has a further advantage of utilizing.lthe fan `for changingV the direction of flow of theA cotton-laden Sincelit is Va property of a blower to change the direction of the airpropelled thereby, the expedient isfhere used of taking strategicadvantage of the change in ow directionincurredxby :the blower, so thatno unnecessary loss in efficiency will be necessaryv in directing 'andcotton toV desired place. 'Thusthe blower .constitutes .anmeansffor.changing the-direcacross the rear of the tractor to the horizontallydirected inlet 112 and directing this cotton upwardly through thevertically directed outlet 117 and the spout 118 into the receptacle.

A further advantage of placing the blower beneath the receptacle 31 andparticularly at the rear left side of the tractor is that the axis aboutwhich the blower rotor rotates extends forwardly alongside the left sideof the tractor body and engine. This disposition of the blower rotoraxis makes it possible to construct a simple driving connection thereforextending from the front end of the tractor engine crank-shaft. Thisdriving connection consists of a pulley 141, Fig. 2, fixed rotatively tothe front end extension 16 of the engine crank-shaft, a belt 142drivingly connecting the pulley 141 with a pulley 143 upon the front endof a shaft 144 journaled within a bearing 145 supported upon a bracket146 suitably attached to the tractor engine. A universal joint 147connects the back end of the shaft 144 with a long shaft 148, of whichthe back end is connected directly with the blower rotor shaft 125through a universal joint 149; see Fig. 3. lt is essential, to preventchoking of the pneumatic system with cotton, that the blower beoperating at the very instant the picking of cotton commences. With thepresent arrangement for driving the blower at all times while thetractor engine is running, assurance is had that air will be forced fromthe plant passage 29 in the picking unit 26 into the air chamber orcasing 27 at the time of the passage of plants into the passage 29 andthe operation thereon by the spindles SP. Introduction of cotton intothe chamber 27 without the attendant introduction of air and theconsequent choking of the pneumatic system is thereby definitelyavoided.

In Fig. 2, the roof of the hopper 31 can be seen to comprise a vaultedcover member 151 having an opening 152 extending thereacross from itsinner edge to its outer edge. The roof or cover member 151 alsocomprises a hood 153 projecting over the upper inner edge of thereceptacle. The opening 152 is covered by a grille 154 which consists ofa series of grate units each having a series of laterally spacedelements 155 extending lengthwise across the opening from its inner sideto its outer side. One of these grate elements is formed in the hood 153and therefore has curved elements 155. It is the purpose of the grille154 to dissipate the air which is discharged upwardly through the spout118 together with debris, such as` sticks, twigs, stems and the like,drawn into the pneumatic system from the plants within the passage 29 inthe picking unit, while at the same time retaining the cotton within thereceptacle. To better enable the grille 154 to separate the debris fromthe seed cotton, it is desirable that this grille shall be made wide sothat the cotton can be spread over the grille in a thin sheet andthereby decrease the thickness of this sheet through which the debrismust be passed prior to reaching the grille for ejection therethrough.Forming the cotton-laden air stream into a thin layer for introductiononto the under side of the grid 154 is accomplished by the spout 118.This spout, as viewed in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, has substantally a squarehorizontal section at its bottom end, and as it rises it decreases inthickness laterally of the receptacle side wall along which it extendsand increases in width lengthwise of the receptacle side wall until theupper end of the spout has a major axis cz-a running parallel to theadjacent upper edge of the receptacle and a short minor axis a-a normalto the adjacent receptacle edge; see Fig. 3. In Fig. 2, where the upperend of the spout 118 is shown in dotted lines, it can be seen that thecotton discharged from this upper end of the spout will issue in a thinlayer against the under side of the grille and thereby improve theopportunity for foreign particles to be separated from the cotton andconducted outwardly between the grille elements 155 by the air stream.

Cotton receptacle the plate or member 163 and. is attachedto.a'depnding' axle housing portion 22 as well as to the horizontal axlehousing 11. The back ends of the plate-like members 163 and 164 areconnected by a cross-plate 165. The member 165 is welded to the members163 and 164. There is also a welded connection between the vertical andlower end portions of the standards 161 and 162 and the outer side ofthe base frame member 164. Brace members 160, of which one is shown inFig. 4, respectively connect mid-sections of the standard members 161and 162 with the base member 163 through welded connections therewith.The standard structure, consisting of the uprights 161 and 162 and thebase therefor consisting of the parts 163, 164, and 165, is unitarilymounted on the left rear axle housing of the tractor.

The basket part of the receptacle 31 comprises a rectangular frame 166extending about its upper edge. From the front and rear ends of thisframe 166 there depend front and back walls 167 and 168 of open meshsheet material, which in the present instance is woven from steel wire.These walls 167 and 168 are curved toward one another at their loweredge and at their opposite upwardly extending edges, as illustrated inFigs. l, 2 and 4. The outer and inner side walls 169 and 171,respectively, of the basket part of the receptacle are connected withthe cupped edges of the end walls at U-shaped reinforcing connectingbands 172 and 173 of steel, and which bands depend from the rectangularframe member 166 bounding the upper edge or brim of the basket.Receptacle side wall 169 is an outer wall in the sense of being disposedadjacent an outer lateral side of the vehicle, whereas the side wall 171is an inner wall in the sense of being disposed adjacent a more medialor inner portion of the vehicle with reference to the fore and aftcenter-line of the vehicle. These outer and inner walls 169 and 171 andthe intermediate bottom wall portion 171a are formed with a sectionalcontour transversely of the tractor that is somewhat parabolic in form.The piece of smooth solid metal sheeting forms the wall 169 while thebottom wall 1712L and the inner wall 171 are formed of wire meshsimilarly to the end walls 167 andv 168.

Opposite end plates 174 (of which one is shown in Fig. 4) are rigidlysecured to and depend from the frame member 166 at the upper outerportions of the basket, and these end plates are journaled upon oppositeends of a rod 175 carried in the standard uprights 161 and 162. Thispivotal connection between the basket and the upper ends of the standardmembers 161 and 162 normally supports the basket in the positionillustrated in Fig. 4 on the inner side of the standard and over thesupporting base for such standard, with a bottom portion of suchreceptacle resting upon the footing braces 160 for said standardmembers, while permitting the basket to be pivoted counter-clockwisefrom the Fig. 4 position to a dumping position illustrated in Fig. 5.

Dumping of the receptacle is brought about by a hydraulic ram or motor177 comprising a cylinder 178 having its lower end pivotally connectedto a channel cross-piece 179 anchored to the lower ends of the standarduprights 161 and 162 and a piston rod 181 pivotally connected with theouter wall of the receptacle by means of a pin 182 anchored within apair of fore and aft reenforcing plates 183, which are secured to theouter wall of the basket; see Figs. 4 and 5 and the dotted lineillustration in Fig. l where the lower portion of the cylinder has beenbroken away. When fluid is introduced into the lower end of the cylinder178, a piston therein (not shown) will be forced upwardly and therebywill force the piston rod 181 upwardly for pivoting the basket into thedumping position shown in Fig. 5. Normally relaxed helical springs 184(one being shown in Figs. 4 and 5) respectively connected between thestandards 161 and 162 and the basket, become distended when thereceptacle approaches a poised position and continue to be distendedwhen the basket reaches the over-center dumping position illustrated inFig. 5, whereby these springs cause the receptacle to pivot clockwisefrom the Fig. 5 dumping position toward the filling position of Fig. 4when fluid is allowed to escape from the lower end of the motor cylinder178. These springs continue to act upon the receptacle after it haspassed the over-center position when returning to the lling position soas to accelerate the return of the basket and thereby minimize the timerequired for dumping.

y Fluid for operating the dumping motor 177 is obtainedy 9 from. a gearpump. 185, Figs. 4 and. 9, secured ontothe back end of thehousng 81auddriven. by the back end of the shaft 80..extendingtlroughfthe.'differential housing 82 of thevtractor. Oil. is pumped bythev pump 185 from thev bottom of the casing 81 which also serves as areservoir. This oilv as it. is discharged from the pump is controlled bya valve 186` having a manually operable control lever 187. When thelever 187 is in the upright position .illustrated in Figs. 4 and 9, thepump discharge is directedv through the. valve 186 back to the reservoiror sump in the casing 81.` When the control ,lever 187 isv pivotedcounter-clockwise, as viewed from the rear, the output of o'il from thepump 185 is directed into the lowerv end of the .motor 17 Sthroughl anoutlet coupling 188 and a conduit187, Figs. 4 5l and 9. After thereceptacle has. been raised, the lever 1817v will `be moved clockwise.back to its upright position where the valve will permit the pump v185to by-pass but will prevent exhaust of fluid from the motor sov that the,receptacle can be retained in the dumping position vas long as.desired. Return of the receptacle to the lling position is initiated bymovement of the lever 187 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, .to a positionbeyond the upright position there illustrated. This allows the motor todrain,v and' afterthe receptacle has reachedY the fillingposition, thelever 137 will be returned to the neutral position of Fig. 4.

A linkage is provided for causing the cover 151 of the receptacle topivot about hinges 189 connecting the inner edge of thisV cover memberwith the basket brim, when the receptacle is pivoted to the dumpingposition. When so pivoted, the cover member is opened with respect tothe`basket so that the cotton is readily dumpable from the basket' intoa wagon box, or the like, which may be driven up alongside of themachine. The linkage for opening the cover 151 includes double-leggedbrackets 191 secured to opposite ends of the cover member and links 192respectively pivotally attached to ears 193 on these brackets 191 andhaving a sliding connection with respective pins 194 pivotally anchoredin arms 195 which are xed to opposite ends of the non-rotatable rod 175.These links 192 have heads 196 on their outer ends for abutment with thepivotal pins 194, as illustrated in Fig. 5, prior to the receptaclereaching the dumping position. Continued counter-clockwise movement ofthe receptacle, as viewed in Fig. 5, shortly prior to reaching thedumping position and after the links 192 can move no farther upwardly,will cause the links to pull downwardly on the ears 193 and the brackets191 for causing the cover member to pivot about the pivot pins of itshinges 189 into the opened position. When the receptacle is returnedtoward the filling position, the links 192 will slide downwardly intothe holes therefor in the pins 194, permitting the cover to close uponthe top of the receptacle by the force of gravity.

The cover 151 for the basket part of the receptacle 31 is arched betweenits inner edge (disposed adjacent the upper end of the spout 118) andits outer or opposite edge and is constructed of debris-impervioussheets 197 and 198 upon opposite sides of the opening 152 formed betweenthese sheets. An arched grille 154 covers this opening, said grillebeing composed of a plurality of units 155, 199 each consisting of atransverse member 199 having transversely spaced longitudinal elements155 extending therefrom. The elements 155 extend from each of theirassociated transverse members 199 toward the outer wall of thereceptacle, the wall disposed at the left side of the receptacle in Fig.4, the free ends of each group of elements 155 extending adjacent andslightly beneath the transverse element 199 of the unit next adjacentthereto in a direction toward the outer Wall of the receptacle. Each ofthe transverse members 199 is hollow to enable it to receive a rod 200which extends through upright anges 201 of angle pieces 202 extendingalong the opposite edges of the opening 152. One end of the rodsextending through the transverse members 199 has a faceted head 203, andthe opposite end of each rod is threaded to receive a nut 204.

The rightmost grid unit 155, 199 in Fig. 4 has its transverse member 199disposed at the lower end of a hooded portion of the grille whichprojects outwardly from the inner edge of the basket, and the spacedgrid elements 155 projecting from this particular transverse member arecurved as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. This hooded portion of thegrille thus provides a downwardly facing inlet opening for thereceptacle 31, such inlet opening being .on the side of. the receptacledisposed. inwardly of the `tractor .(thelrightsi'de, asviewed'in Fig. 4)andV being communicative with .theuppen end of the. spout 118, Fi .4.

otton-laden .air 4entering. the hooded portion of the grille 154 iirststrikes .the curved elements 155 of the grid' element unit o-ver the topof the hood. Itv isat this point that most' of the trash isseparatedfrom the cottonl along with part of the air from .the conveying airstream. This part of the air. and.- trash is carried outwardly from thereceptacle betweeny the grilleelements 155, while the cotton isdellected across the top of the .receptacle along they under surfaces ofthe grilleunits.` During. this traversal by the thin layer of cottonacross the upper side` of the receptacle, part' of lthe air continues.yto be dissipated through the grille and to carry pieces of. foreignmaterial therewith. Particularly because of the momentum of thecottonand because yof the air .movement across the top of tiereceptacle, the cotton is caused to be carried to a position.adjacentthe .upper edge ofy theL outer receptacle wail. This cotton thendrops. into the lower part of the receptacle butfirst fillsvt-he'neceptacle within the bottom and along the outer wall, and as `thelling process continues, the surface-of repose of the cotton willgradually approach the inner upper part' of the receptacle, which partis lthe last to be filled, whereby the receptacle becomes completelyiilled' without attention ofthe operator.

There are' several factors which improve the dumping ability of thereceptacle. One of these features is the arrangement of the longitudinalgrilli elements so that. their free ends are projected away from thehinged edge of the cover member 151 sovthatany cotton falling from thereceptacle against the under side of the grille during the dumpingoperation will have no tendency to cling to the grille. ln other words,the top or cover member of the receptacle itself dumps any cotton thatmay be therein due to the receptacle being lled to an extent that thecotton is heaped therein or falls against the under side of the grillewhen the receptacle is dumped.

Another feature that facilitates dumping is the parabolic transversesection through the inner and outer walls and the bottom Wall. Becauseof this curved contour of these walls of the receptacle, the cottonwhich iirst falls away from the upper part of the inner Wall as thedumping of the cotton actually commences, tends to pull other cottonwith it so that there is a progressive rolling away of the cotton fromthe inner wall (upper when the receptacle is in the dumping position)toward the bottom of said wall and the bottom of the receptacle.

Another feature which improves the dumping characteristics of thereceptacle is the use of a smooth sheet in forming the receptacle outerwall 169. Any cotton resting upon this sheet will more readily slidefrom the receptacle while the latter is in the dumping position. Thereceptacle is made as light in weight as possible, however, by employingthe mesh-woven wire side walls for the most part.

While the center part of the cover member is formed with an openingcovered by the grille 154, the ends 197 and 198 of the cover member atthe sides of the opening are made of material such as sheet metalthrough which the dust and dirt and small stems discharged with the airblast through the grille cannot pass through for return back into thereceptacle subsequent to discharge through the grille. During operationof the machine, these particles of debris can be seen to gravitatetoward the edges of the dome-shaped cover member and to fall away in theatmosphere Where they are sometimes swept away by wind. ln earliermachines where the top of the receptacle was made perfectly liat, therewas such an accumlation of foreign particles upon the top about theair-blast discharge opening that before dumping the cotton it wasnecessary for the operator to employ a broom for sweeping theseparticles away from the top so they would not be dumped with the cottoninto the vehicle for conveying the cotton from the field.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention, We claim:

l. In a cotton harvesting apparatus for use upon a tractor including abody projecting forwardly from laterally projecting rear axle housings;the combination of a frame structure base having horizontally spaced andoppositely disposed inner and outer portions and adapted for mountingupon and entirely rearwardly of and inward- 1y from the outer end of oneof said axle housings with said outer portion adjacent the outer end ofsaid axle housing, a receptacle supporting standard upon said base andprojecting upwardly and outwardly with reference to the outer baseportion, a cotton receptacle disposed over said base in a fillingposition and having an outer side wall pivotally attached at an upperpart thereof to an upper part of said standard to facilitate pivoting ofthe receptacle outwardly with reference to said base over the locus ofpivotal attachment into a partially inverted dumping position, and meansfor effecting pivotal movement of the receptacle between said positions.

2. In a cotton harvesting apparatus; a tractor including a bodyprojecting forwardly from laterally projecting rear axle housings; aframe structure including a base portion supported upon and entirelyrearwardly of and inwardly from the outer end of one of said axlehousings and a standard projecting from said base upwardly and laterallyoutwardly of a side of the tractor the standard having an inner sidefacing laterally inwardly of the tractor from such side thereof; acotton receptacle disposed over said base in a filling position adjacentthe inner side of the standard, said receptacle having generally uprightand opposite inner and outer side walls, the outer wall being pivotallyattached to said standard to facilitate pivoting of the receptacle overthe locus of pivotal attachment `into a partially inverted dumpingposition; a single-acting motor energizable to react between the framestructure and the receptacle to pivot the latter into the dumpingposition; and a normally relaxed spring connected between the receptacleand frame structure and becoming distorted by the movement of thereceptacle into the dumping position to urge the receptacle back to thefilling position.

3. In a cotton harvesting apparatus; a tractor having a body projectingforwardly from laterally projecting rear axle housings and an operatorsstation upon a rear portion of the tractor; a receptacle supportingstandard at a side of the tractor and entirely rearwardly of andinwardly from the outer end of one of the axle housings; a cottonreceptacle disposed between said standard and the operators station, thereceptacle having an outer side wall and an opposite inner side Wall andbeing disposed with the outer wall adjacent the standard and the innerwall adjacent the operators station; means connecting said receptaclewith the standard for a dumping tilting movement generally about a foreand aft axis adjacent the outer side Wall of said receptacle and at ahigher elevation than said operators station, and the inner side wall ofsaid receptacle conforming generally to a curve extending downwardly andoutwardly laterally of the tractor toward the side having the standardthereon and away from the operators station from an elevation above suchstation to provide maximum bottom width and capacity of said receptaclewithout incurring disturbance of the operator when said receptacle isdumped.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,811,055 Kranich June 23, 193i 1,985,373 Johnston Dec. 25,1934 2,234,599 Johnston Mar. ll, 1941 2,345,790 Brooks Apr. 4, 19442,518,465 Hagen et al. Aug. l5, 1950

